A lot of tradespeople didn't start out on their own to spend half the day doing marketing. You went solo because you're good at what you do — not because you love marketing yourself online.
The reality is: being great at your trade doesn't guarantee a full calendar. Mates recommending you still matters, but it dries up - especially when things get quiet.
So what actually works? Here are the no-BS things that get results - and none of them need a fancy agency.
Set Up a Proper Digital Presence
If a homeowner searches for "electrician in your area" - do you show up? A surprising number of owner-operators haven't set up a proper online profile.
You don't need a $10k custom site. A simple website that shows photos of your work, mentions the suburbs you operate in, and has a clear way to get in touch - that's your minimum.
A one-page setup that covers the essentials outperforms the tradies who have nothing.
Google Business Profile - Costs Nothing, Does a Lot
If you haven't claimed your Google Business Profile, you're missing the easiest free leads going. It's completely free.
That map pack that shows up at the top when a homeowner needs a tradie - that's where you want to be. Ranking in the map pack comes down to not leaving your profile half-empty.
- Add pictures from actual jobs - not some generic handshake pic
- Get your happy clients to leave a review - people read these before they call
- Reply to every review - it makes a real
difference
- Update your info when anything changes
These small things builds up quietly. Tradies who stay on top of their profile beat out the competition that ignores it.
Posting Your Work Online - It's Not Rocket Science
Nobody's asking you to be an influencer. The ones actually winning work from Facebook and Insta keep it dead simple.
Take a quick pic of a completed project. Side-by-side comparisons perform better than anything. A finished bathroom reno - that tells the story on its own.
Write a line or two about the job and you're sorted. You don't need to post every day. Every photo reference you share shows potential customers you're the real deal.
Homeowners respond to photos of real work. An honest before-and-after beats any amount of fancy marketing - because it's real.
Paid Ads - When They Make Sense
Spending money on online ads is effective for trades businesses - but it's not a set-and-forget situation. The common mistake is boosting random Facebook posts.
Before you spend a dollar: have a landing page that works. All the clicks in the world won't help if your site looks like it was built in 2005.
Don't go all-in on day one. Track which ads bring actual calls. Double down on the winners and pull the plug on anything that's just burning cash.
Reviews and Reputation - The Stuff That Actually Sells
Here's something that doesn't get talked about enough: nearly every potential customer checks reviews before making contact. A tradie with 50 genuine reviews gets the call over the bloke with no online presence - every single time.
Get into the routine to follow up with a review request. Satisfied clients will do it - they just don't think of it. Send them a direct link and the reviews will stack up faster than you'd expect.
Respond to negative reviews professionally - the way you deal with a negative review is just as important as the positive ones.
What It All Comes Down To
Marketing your trades business doesn't have to be overwhelming. The tradies who stay booked aren't marketing geniuses - they set up a few things properly and keep showing up.
Lock in your Google listing and a basic site. Let your jobs do the talking. Ask happy customers to back you up online. And if you go the paid route, make sure the numbers add up before you scale.
Your skills aren't the problem - the growth stuff doesn't take as much as you'd expect once you get the ball rolling.